The Unrivaled-best duo of Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Plum led Phantom to a fourth-straight win, but it wasn't an easy road. With the 1-on-1 Tournament on the horizon, the regular season is temporarily on pause after a pair of Monday night games. First, Phantom rallied from behind to defeat Vinyl 76-73, and then Mist easily handled Rose 90-64. The victory clinched a playoff spot for Phantom, making them the second Unrivaled team to secure a postseason berth. Boston and Plum were almost unstoppable, with Boston scoring a game-high 33 points and Plum contributing 30 points and 50% shooting from the field. Together, they accounted for 63 of their team's 76 points, showcasing an unreal performance. However, the game wasn't without its challenges. Midway through the third quarter, Vinyl held a 11-point lead, but Phantom mounted a comeback. Boston scored inside, Kiki Iriafen converted a basket, Natasha Cloud hit a 3-pointer, and Boston's three-point shot made it a one-point game. Vinyl re-established some breathing room entering the fourth, but Plum and Iriafen's four unanswered points cut the deficit to one again. Unfortunately for Vinyl, their shots went cold, and Plum took over. She hit a 3-pointer to put Phantom ahead and then dominated Rae Burrell, her Los Angeles Sparks teammate, with a pump fake and some fancy footwork to seal the win. This season has been a struggle for Vinyl, and at 4-7, making the postseason would be an accomplishment. Mist vs. Rose was a one-sided affair, with Mist dominating from the start. Breanna Stewart and Allisha Gray led the scoring for Mist, and once Arike Ogunbowale got hot, the advantage quickly ascended into double figures. Stewart started the scoring for Mist in the second half with a layup, and they were officially up by 20 points. Rose was never able to spark any sort of run or response, and that was the ball game. In defeat, Austin had 19 points for Rose, and Chelsea Gray finished the game with 17. Rose can still make the playoffs and salvage their title defense, but after losing Stevens in Monday's trade, they'll need to decide whether to add another player to their permanent roster or rely on developmental players to supplement their group if injuries or illnesses drop them below five players.
